Wiltshire Fire Service 'happy' with Cathedral training exercise
The service wanted to test out some of it's new procedures
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service says it's pleased with how a training exercise at Salisbury Cathedral has gone.
The service carried out a simulated response to a fire near the Cathedral Spire, with live casualties who needed rescuing.
It follows changes to procedures by the Service, with this exercise a learning mission to see if the new systems work in action as hoped.
Smoke machines were used to simulate the fire, with students on a Public Services course at Wiltshire College playing the roles of live casualties.
The exercise was led by on-call Manager at Salisbury Fire Station, Jack Coburn, who told Greatest Hits Radio the changes are aimed at making it easy for any crew to know what they needed to do.
"It's not guaranteed that crews from around this area will be first here," he said, saying it could a crew from Hampshire or Dorset who arrive first.
He continued: "We wanted to make a simple, easy to follow, guide for anyone that turns up, if they're not familiar with the area, the Cathedral or the policies and procedures."
Upon arrival, fire crews will now be given a card which will direct them to where they need to be and what they need to do.
These are handed to each crew based on who arrives first.
Today's test saw crews from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service attend to ensure the trial was as robust as possible.
During the training, a fire engine was collecting water from the nearby River Avon, feeding it along over two hundred metres of fire hose, via two other fire engines, before it was connected to the Cathedral's dry riser.
At this point, the water is transported up to the roof area of the Cathedral, where crews would be able to douse flames with a plentiful supply of water with enough pressure.
Jack said: "Due to technology changing pumps becoming better, we wanted to see if our response was any better or worse because of it.
"I believe the pressure we got out of it today was actually better, but we think there's a slight delay in getting water there.
"It would do the job, don't get me wrong, but we do think there's a quicker way we can do it. So that's something we can go back now to the look at the drawing board and try and improve."
The event drew much curiosity from passers-by and Cathedral visitors but thankfully the historic building was never actually on fire.
